


Theory and Practice ~ by Gwynnega

by AngelBookofDaysModerator



Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Angel Book of Days Challenge, F/M, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-11-03
Updated: 2003-11-03
Packaged: 2017-10-30 19:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/335020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelBookofDaysModerator/pseuds/AngelBookofDaysModerator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written by Gwynnega (gwynnega at gwynnegarfinkle.com). Posted on behalf of the author by the Angel Book of Days Moderator.</p><p>As they try to adjust to working at Wolfram & Hart, Fred goes out to lunch with Knox, and Angel enjoys a sword fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Theory and Practice ~ by Gwynnega

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Evil_Little_Dog](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Little_Dog/gifts).



Fred couldn't figure out why she felt out of sorts every time she saw what date it was. It was as if there was something she was supposed to be doing, and the date jogged her memory: September something, October something. Then one day she figured it out. It was back to school time.

She wished she were going back to school (so long as there were no professors there sending students through portals to demon dimensions). Walking across some campus, a pile of books in her arms, not stuck in this building in downtown L.A., working at this morally questionable job. Her life was sure different than she'd expected back when she was studying physics - Winifred Burkle, pre-Pylea. 

She was trying to explain this to Knox as they were walking down the hall. He was taking her to lunch, and that definitely improved her mood. In fact, it made her bubble with delight. He was sweet and smart. Maybe he was a bit too much like her, though - big with the book learnin'. Maybe she'd been attracted to Charles because he'd been so different from her...but after all, that hadn't turned out so well. Maybe she shouldn't second guess. 

Knoxy was so cute. He had a nice smile, and he smiled at her a lot. Hopefully he wasn't evil. A few days back he'd sang for Lorne, who said he at least wasn't a full-on evil mastermind. Plus he did a nice rendition of "Yesterday." Fred wished she'd heard that.

"How come you picked that song?" she asked as they walked towards the elevator.

"So you got the full report on my little serenade? I hope that allays your fears about my evil quotient."

"I figure if you're a Beatles fan, you can't be that evil. Although of course, Charles Manson was a Beatles fan..." It was definitely time for her to stop talking. At this rate, he wouldn't want to go to lunch with her after all.

He only smiled. "It's not as if I sang 'Helter Skelter.'"

She giggled. But just as they reached the elevator, it opened and a rampaging demon barreled out. They jumped back. Fred figured it must be a client. 

"I guess I should make at least a pretense at manliness," Knox said, and stood in front of her - awfully chivalrous. "Though honestly, I suspect you'd be more able to take him."

"Well, I have had some experience with weaponry," she said, smiling.

"Yargh! Bring me Angel!" the demon said. He was carrying two fine-looking swords. He, however, wasn't exactly fine-looking. Suppurating-looking was more like it, and the skin that wasn't oozing was reddish and angry-looking, just like he was. His eyes, however, were bright blue.

Harmony scurried up, brandishing an appointment book. "Hey, you don't have an appointment."

"Angel!" the demon roared. "It must be he!"

"Just because you're a client, it doesn't mean you can just walk in here without making an appointment," she said, in the loud and over-enunciated manner Fred imagined she would use if she were in a foreign country trying to talk to someone who didn't speak English. 

The demon brandished one of the swords and swung it perilously close to Harmony's ribcage.

"Hey!" She went into game face. "You almost sliced my new outfit. I had to buy a whole bunch of new duds when I got this job - you know, professional attire for the undead girl on the go - and this stuff isn't cheap." She indicated her pink dress and matching jacket.

The demon lowered his sword. He looked dejected. "Angel," he murmured, as if Harmony had robbed him of the will to fight or possibly even live. "Duel."

Fred felt sorry for the guy, oozy though he was. Maybe she was getting a bit too demon-friendly these days. "Harmony, why don't you give Angel a call? What with this gentleman - er, demon - being a client?"

Harmony's face subsided into human form. "Okay."

"You're awfully compassionate and even-handed, aren't you, boss?" Knox said. "If you don't mind my saying so. It's an admirable quality."

"Aw, thanks, Knoxy. But I keep telling you - call me Fred."

"I promise, it'll happen. I'm working up to it." He smiled. "Shall we go to lunch?"

"I think we better wait until this whole duel thing is resolved. Hopefully it'll be pretty quick - I'm ravenous." She hoped that didn't come off as a sexual innuendo or something. Why would it? She was actually hungry, for food. Even though Knox seemed yummier by the minute, now that she was about to go someplace non-work-related with him for the first time.

***

Angel had been going through a seemingly bottomless case file of the evil, semi-evil and morally dubious types on the client list. He was actually glad when Harmony buzzed him. "Boss, there's a Grunzrell demon who wants to see you. He's a client, though he doesn't have an appointment."

"A Grunzrell? What does he want?" He assumed it would be some kind of demonic legal representation, and he felt weary at the thought.

"He just keeps saying 'Angel - duel. It must be he.' Something about you killing some of his, uh, 'brethren' I think is what he said. He's got swords. They're pretty swords, with some kind of swirly inlay on the handles. Should I call security, get rid of the guy?"

"No, I'll handle it," he said with alacrity.

Grunzrell, he thought as he hurried down the hall. Yes, he thought he had killed a few of them, back when he first came to L.A. - back when it was just him, Doyle and Cordelia. For a moment the sheer weight of loss stopped him in his tracks. Sometimes he felt like he was embalmed in it - stuck as if in amber - although the loss of his son was worst of all. Perhaps Cordy would wake up someday, and perhaps she would be her old self. It didn't seem likely. Connor however would never wake up and be someone who knew him, and that was for the best.

He got moving again. He wondered what Doyle would make of all this - what he would have to say about the choices he'd made. He could almost hear his voice: _You wanna run that by me again?_ How could he explain it to him? Things had been so much simpler then.

He saw the Grunzrell, all red and covered in what looked like boils, and carrying those two swords - and Harmony wasn't kidding, those were nice swords, they looked ceremonial - and his heart leapt. What a relief to get away from those case files. What a relief to do something besides placate evil types in order to supposedly do good.

"Angel!" the demon snarled. "You fight with me! Duel!"

Angel found himself grinning. "Okay. Let's fight."

The Grunzrell didn't exactly smile, but he let out what sounded like a happy growl and tossed him a sword.

Fred and her scientist friend were standing nearby, along with a few others. "Stand back, everybody," Angel said.

"No problem," Fred said with a nervous little smile. She and that scientist guy were standing pretty close together, and Angel briefly wondered if they were sleeping together. Then he swung his sword.

Ah, the heft of the weapon in his hand, the way his arm felt as he sliced the air. The crash of metal on metal! Why had he ever taken this stupid job? Run an evil law firm - what had he been thinking? This was so much simpler.

The Grunzrell managed to slice through Angel's shirt. Damn, he liked that shirt - though he had many like it (black, of course). His game face emerged, and he swung at the Grunzrell. His sword nicked the demon's arm. Blue blood oozed from him, bluer even than his eyes. The demon roared at him and charged. Angel ducked, and the demon ran his sword into a desk. Oops.

Harmony appeared - had she been taking a coffee break (or, more likely, a blood break)? "Hey," she said. "Watch the furniture!"

"Sorry," Angel said. He swung again, and their swords clashed. What a satisfying sound. 

***

"This is great," Knox whispered. "I always wanted to take fencing when I was a kid, but I was too busy with school. It seemed so swashbuckling - so Errol Flynn."

"Really?" Fred was standing so close to Knox, she kept wanting to reach up and ruffle his hair. It was always slightly messy, which only made her feel like messing it up a bit more. "I've had about all the fighting I've ever wanted - and then some. I would've been happy if I'd never had to learn any of that stuff." Back when I was in school, she thought, I never had to think about crossbows or swords or guns.

"But it looks like it'd be fun to swashbuckle."

She giggled. Then the big red demon growled and charged at Angel, and she jumped - but Angel easily parried his slashing sword.

"See?" Knox murmured. "That's just so impressive." He sighed. "But that's never gonna happen. Not for me." 

She patted his shoulder. Touching him made her all tingly. "Never say never, Knoxy - not if you're working with us. Oh, and I apologize for the over-the-top alliteration."

He gave her a soft smile and looked as though he wanted to kiss her. Fred forgot to breathe - but the moment passed. She wondered if he did want to. "I'm really better off behind my microscope," he said. "Otherwise I might put out an eye. Probably my own."

Angel turned their way. "Fred, you don't have to hang around here," he said a bit breathlessly - which was weird, considering Angel didn't breathe. "I've got this under control."

"Angel, watch out!" Fred cried. Angel pivoted just in time to meet the demon's sword with his own. The demon was thrown back against the wall. Angel turned again.

"No, really," he said, "it's fine."

"Well, I am hungry. You sure you don't want me to get Wesley or Charles to help you out?"

He shook his head, then spun just as the Grunzrell pushed off from the wall and launched himself at him. 

Fred was kinda glad Charles and Wesley weren't there to see her about to go to lunch with Knox. "Shall we?" he asked.

"Sure." They ran for the elevator, and Knox pressed the down button. Angel kept the fight away from them until they were safely inside.

"Have a nice lunch, guys!" Angel called after them with a smile, and the sound of ringing metal followed them downstairs.

***

"You are a worthy opponent," the Grunzrell said, feinted once, then swung at him.

What a feeling. Parry and thrust, cause and effect, simpler than conversation. So much simpler. It seemed clean somehow, fighting with a sword - cleaner than using fists or fangs. It could be beautiful, graceful.

And then there _he_ was, to spoil everything, the way he always did lately. Always yammering - never could keep his mouth shut. "Remember the best fencing partner you ever had? You nearly killed her. Nearly destroyed the world. Had yourself a pretty good time, until she ran you through."

He stood there in that damn coat of his, arms folded around his body. Angel swung right at him, and so did the Grunzrell. Both sliced through air.

"Shut up, Spike," Angel said through gritted teeth and swung at the Grunzrell. Maybe if their swords crashed loudly enough, it'd drown Spike out.

"Argh! Don't interfere!" the Grunzrell said.

"I'll do what I like," Spike said. "Not like you can do anything about it." From the corner of Angel's eye, he could see him grin. "You ever think about those days? How you tormented Buffy?"

"Oh, like you didn't try to kill her every chance you got," Angel said.

"Wasn't in love with her back then. Loved Dru. You were the one who was supposed to be in love with her. I could love Buffy without a soul, but you - "

"Shut up!" Angel swung wide and his sword hit the wall. The Grunzrell's sword connected with his thigh and ripped his pants. Blood poured out.

"Whoops," Spike said. "Not as good at this as you once were, eh, mate? Remember the time you pulled that sword out of Acathla?"

He remembered it all too well. He hadn't remembered when he'd first regained his soul, but later - when he was in hell - he did. Then he forgot again. The physical torment eclipsed the mental. Sometimes that still seemed easier. Just as the pain in his sliced leg hurt far less than remembering what he'd put Buffy through, what he'd put so many people through.

"You miss being Angelus - your evil twin? I never had one of those. Split personality and all that. You miss having fun, free and clear."

"You should know." Angel swung at the demon, lopping his head off. The body toppled, the head rolled. Game over. Dammit, he had been having fun. So had the Grunzrell, it was obvious. He seemed like an okay kind of demon. And now it was over. Back to business. Back to what his life had become.

A slightly transparent Spike came closer, stared down at the decapitated head that oozed bright blue blood.

"You're kinda tired of the whole redemption trip, aren't you? Because you're doing it without joy. And you can't have real joy, or - pfft, back to the starting line, you lose your soul, do not bloody pass go." 

Angel raised his eyebrows.

"Monopoly," Spike said. "Used to play it with Dawn."

The Grunzrell's head was smiling in death. He'd had a good time. So had Angel - but Spike was right about one thing. He'd had more pure fun when he was Angelus. That was the scary thought he lived with every day.

"Good fight," Spike remarked.

"What?" Angel asked, remembering Doyle.

"The sword fight. You gave the Grunzrell his money's worth." With that, he faded out.

 _The good fight, yeah?_ The good fight was never simple, but it was ultimately more satisfying - or so he kept reminding himself. The sword fight had been immediate gratification. But now his leg was bleeding and his clothes were torn, and he had a dead Grunzrell in two pieces, getting bright blue blood all over the floor. So much for sword fighting being clean.

"Eew," Harmony said, suddenly by his side, looking down at the Grunzrell. "I mean, good job, boss."

***

"I can't believe you've lived in L.A. for years and you've never been to Philippe's," Knox said as they sat at a table with their tray of French dip sandwiches.

She gingerly picked up her sandwich. "This seems kinda...soggy."

"No, it's delicious." He reached for a container of mustard, opened his sandwich and slathered it with the stuff. "Here, try this."

She took a bite. "Mmm, this _is_ delicious." The mustard went straight to her sinuses. "And wow, spicy."

"So what were you saying earlier, about school? I got distracted by the sword-toting demon and your Manson Family references."

"Sorry about that." She sighed. "It's just...it's back to school time."

"And that depresses you because...?"

"How can I put this? I loved school so much. All the books, the ideas, they were so exciting. And the learning, it was all for its own sake - you didn't have to do anything with it. It seemed safe, somehow. It was a lot of fun. Sometimes I wish I could go back."

"Back to school?" He smiled slightly. "It was simpler, wasn't it? When it was all theoretical. When you didn't have to be in the world with it."

"Back when no lives were at stake. Back when it was all about the books. Except a book sent me someplace bad - literally sent me. Actually a professor of mine sent me there, to this place called Pylea. I was there a long time."

"I'm sorry."

"That's how I learned that ideas don't exist in a vacuum, and neither do the teachers who expand your mind. There are always choices. The world is always there."

Then they were silent, chewing on their sandwiches. The lunch really was yummy. And so, still, was Knox. She kinda liked that he didn't know how to wield a sword. But what if she'd bummed him out so much with her grim talk that he'd never want to ask her out again?

"So," he said, "how do you feel about workplace romances?"

She nearly choked on her sandwich, but managed not to. She successfully swallowed her mouthful of food, and took a swig of lemonade. 

"And more specifically," he went on, "how do you feel about romances between bosses and their...underlings? Power differentials, and all that?"

"I'm fine with all that, in theory. Besides, I don't really know anyone besides the people I work with anymore. So if I paid attention to those kinds of issues, I'd never get any action." At the word _action_ , she blushed - or maybe it was the hot mustard - and ducked her head. "In theory, I mean..."

He gently put one finger to her chin and lifted it. It was that magical pre-kiss moment, and she again forgot to breathe, but at the same time it occurred to her that she was always kissing the men she worked with, and maybe that was a problem. Except that wasn't quite right either, because she'd had a relationship with Charles, but she couldn't quite remember whether she had kissed Wesley and...and she had the strangest feeling that she'd kissed Angel as well. Maybe she'd dreamed it?

Then she forgot all about the other men in her life as Knox leaned across the table. "Fred," he murmured, and her name sounded sweet on his lips, "sometimes - with any luck - practice is better than theory." He kissed her. His lips were soft, and he tasted like spicy mustard - but then, she probably did too. "I hope I'm not overstepping," he added.

"No, you're stepping just fine." She kissed him. It made her feel like a kid again, to be kissing a guy in the middle of a crowded restaurant at lunch hour, possibly with folks staring at them. Although, come to think of it, she'd never had much luck with boys when she was in school. Suddenly she was happy to be right where she was - a grownup, with a brand new brainy beau (who really seemed too nice to be evil). Maybe she and Knox could teach each other a thing or two.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for evil_little_dog in the Angel Book of Days Autumn Challenge. Requirements: Angel and a sword fight  
> Two restrictions (optional) ~ No slash and no Angel/Cordy
> 
> Thanks to Vicious Wishes for fantastic betaing!


End file.
